Aeroplane



Nov. 26, 1929.-

c. L WELTNER v 1,737,210

AEROPLANE I Filed July 25. 1928 zsheexs-sneer 1 Nov. 26, 1929. c. l.. WELTNER l AEROPLANE Patented Nov. 26, 1929 'UNIT sri' ignara oonLIss L. WELTNER, oF Pannensienne,v weer VIRGINIA, AssIGNon or THREE'- FoURTI-is 'ro a. Iroinnn Mossen, or ramrnnsnune, weer VIRGINIA AEROPLANE Application filed. July 25, 1928. Serial No. 295,318.

My invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes and has for its primary .object the provision of an aeroplane which 1s capable of rising vertically from `the ground, thusv eliminating the necessity for a large field to provide a running takeoff-the invention further contemplating an aeroplane, as characterized, which is capable of landing in a horizontal position from a point immediately above the Ylanding site.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for facilitating the ascent of the plane in flight.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision in a device of this character of means whereby the ship,-while suspended in the air in a stall, so as to spealr,-can be manoeuvred to either side at the will of theV pilot.

vThe invention also resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts,-and in modes of operation to be hereinafter described and claimed,-reference being had to the accompanyingY drawings which illust-rate the now preferred form of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is capable of other lmechanical expressions. I therefore reserve the right to make such changes in, and departures from, the illustrated'embodiment as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed.

Referring brieiiy to the drawings,

Figure l is a top plan view of an aeroplane embodying my invention and showing the front or elevating panel casing in section;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure l, but showing the front panels closed;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3 and showing a latch for the front panel control lever;

Figure 5 is detail side elevational view partly broken and showing the two sets of compartment shutters at one side of the fuselage and the control means therefor;

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional viev.7 of a gear hub bearing;

Figure 7 is a perspectiveview of the bearing of Figure 6. t i

ln the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts in all views, numeral 1 designates the fuselage ofthe plane having its forward portion provide-d with the motor 2 and there being the usual landing gear 3, as shown in Figure 2. rlhe fuselage and general construction,-except as hereinafter noted,-is more or less standard Vand need not be described in detail. the vform of invention shown in the drawings the ship is depicted as a monoplane type having front and rear planes 4 equipped with the usual ailerons', tail plane 6 and rudder 7.

rlhe forward end of the engine power shaft 2n extends through a bearing 2a of a boX-lilrej frame Vor casing 8 located at the front of the ship and carries the propeller 9, as shown.

rlhe casing 8 is open at either end,as shown in Figure 2, and the forward end of said casing is provided withfa number of transverse panels l0, 10210b which are shown as keyed upon rods ll which are suitably journalled at their ends in the frame 8. The

panels l0 are of the shutter type and when in the position shown in Fi @ure 2 project outwardly. and upwardly from the casing 8, so thatwhen the plane is in flight there will be a tendency to elevate the forward end thereof so that it may climb more readily and shift to an upward direction in flight with greaterV c shown-inFigure 2, without contact with the bottom of the casing 8. f

The panels l0, 10a, l0b are operated in unison by means of a link 12, which is pivoted to the respective panels within the casing 8,-,- the entire array of panels being controlled by a draw-bar 14, which is pivotally connected at its forward end to a crank 13 which is Vkeyed to the intermediate or central shaft 11.

Draw-bar 14 is pivoted to pull lever 14e (Fig- For instance in v ure 1). The open rear end of the casing 8 is provided with a similar array of panels 16 which are keyed upon transverse rods 165L which are suitably j ournalled in the side walls of the frame. The panels 16 are operated in unison by means of a common connecting link 17, whichis pivoted to each panel, as indicated at 17,-it being noted that one of the rods 16a has keyed thereto a crank 18 which is connected to a draw-rod 19, as best shown in Figure 3. The draw-rod 19 has a pivotal connection with the pull-rod 19e located at the cockpit side opposite 14e. Manifestly, from the structure described it will be understood that air passes through the casing in a downwardly and rearwardly inclined direction when the panels 10, 16 are in the position shown in Figure 2. Of course, this tends to direct the nose of the plane upwardly when in Hight. The inner end of each pull-rod 14e, 19? is provided with a hand grip 14, 19d, adapted to be operated or controlled by the operator or pilot from the seat 15. Suitable latch means 14b may be availed of, as indicated for so mantaining the rods 14", 19c as to hold the panels 10, 10a, 10b, 16 ina predetermined position. It is to be understood, of course, that when the plane is in normal horizontal Hight the panels 10, 102,101, 16 will be wide open, as indicated in Figure 1.

It will be understood, as previously explained, that the normal Hight and manipulation of the planeldiifers not the slightest from standard planes. v

Y In order that the plane may ascend into the air in a vertical path so as to eliminate the necessity for a landing Held,-I provide lifting propellers, 20, 20l spaced in the direction of the length of the fuselage and rigidly mounted upon the shafts 21, 21a vertically journalled in bearings 22, 22a, respectively.

Power is supplied to shafts 21, 21a from beveled gears 23, 23el secured upon shafts 24, 24a, respectively-the shafts 24, 24a being journalled in compartments V25, 25, which are open at the top` and sides, as shown. Beveled pinions 26, 26 serve to operatively conneet shafts 21, 21 with beveled gears 23, 23. The engine power shaft extends rearwardly into the compartment 25, and has a clutch drive 2b with a pinion 27 meshing with gear 23. Power is supplied to beveled gear 23a through the shaft 29 whose beveled gear 28 meshes with gear 23 and which is provided Vwith a beveled pinion 3() at the rear end meshing with the beveled gear 23ar of shaft 24. The shaft 29 is journalled in a torque tube or bearing 29a, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

' From the foregoing description it will be evident that the clutch 2b may be manipulated from the cock-pit'through lever 2c to establish a driving connection between the power shaft 2EL and the engine whereby to drive the elevating or lifting propellers 20, 20.l so that the plane can be lifted off of the Y and bottom walls.

By the same token the plane may be lowered in a horizontal position to make a landing from a site.

It is desired to call particular attention to the .compartments or chambers 25, 25a. Inasmuch as these are identical a description of one will suHiceforboth. As previously indicated each chamber 25, 25a has front, rear The sides and top are open. The object in providing the chambers 25, 25a is to prevent the down blast or pressure of the air from lifting propellers 20, 2()a upon the wings of 4, which would of course mitigate against the lifting of the plane. This objection is overcome by the provision of the chambers referred to and in order that the air driven into such chamber 25, 25a may be readily exhausted I provide a propeller 32 point vertically above the landing upon each end of the shaft 24, which pro.

pellers 32 areadapted to suck or exhaust the air from the compartment. The propellers of the compartment 25 are indicatedat 32a."

Thus, in effect the compartments 25, 25a are vacuum compartments,-that is to sayA of.

course,-when the 32a are in motion.

In order to control the direction of exit of ,the air from the compartments, 25, 25a I propellers 20, 20, and32,

provide a set of panels 33 at each side ofeach of the compartments,-which panels are keyed upon shafts 34 suitably journalledin the fuselage frame 1 and having at their inner ends meshing pinions or gears 35. VIt will be manifest that the panels 32 can be set with their outer ends projecting downwardly and outwardly so that the 'forcing of l the air groundwardly will have a tendency to lighten or in fact literally push the plane up- As shown,-the controlling instrumental-` ity for the panels at the right side ofthe fuselage comprises a lever 40 pivoted to the Hooring of the fuselage, as indicated at 41,

and having a guiding connection wtih the fixed quadrant 43. Thelever 40 has a suitable latch member 46 controlled by a push rod 47 for engaging in the internal notches 48 of the quadrant so that the lever can be located in a fixed position. Above the quadrant, referred to, and mounted for verticalY sliding movement, as indicated at 49, 1s thel shaft 50 having its ends provided with oppositely pitched or turned worm portions 51, 52,

which extend through the wormed hub por tions of gears 53, 54, respectively. As shown, the hub portions of the gears referred to, are journalled in suitable bearings carried by the fuselage frame and which bearings are indicated at 55. The gear 53 is adapted to mesh with the adjacent forward panel gear 35 of the gear train at the right hand side, while the gear 54 is adapted to mesh with the corresponding adjacent gear 35 of the train at the rear. When the lever 40 is swung toward the right or forwardly, the worm 51 engaging the wormed interior 5la of the hub of said gear will rotate same and through the gear 35 actuate the panels 33 to anupwardly and-` outwardly inclined position. By the saine tol;en,when the lever 40 is drawn rearwardly the panels will be swung to a downwardly and outwardly inclined position which is the position they will assume when it is desired to lift the plane from the ground by means of the elevators or propellers 20, 20a. Inasmuch as the worm 52 at the rear end of the shaft 50 is oppositely turned with respect to the worm 5l the gears 35 will be operated to cause the panels of the second opening or chamber at the corresponding side to be opened exactly the same as the panels of said side in the chamber 25. When the dog 46 is located in the first notch 48 the panels 33 will be inclined outwardly and downwardly. I/Vhenv such element 46 is located in the second notch 48 the panels will be a horizontalv position It is understood that as shown in the drawings the panels 33 are in neutral position.

In order to secure a proper rotation of the gears 35 of each set of panels there is interposed between such gears idlers 35a so that all of the panel gears 35 will be actuated inthe same direction on movement of the lever 40.

The arrangement at the opposite side of each of the chambers 25, 25a is identical and it is understood that the controlling lever 40 for each side may be located in any preferred position, but that they will preferably be at opposite sides of the cock-pit.

Assuming that the plane is being held substantially stationary in the air by the action of the propellers of elevators V2O, 20a, it is possible by opening or closing the shutters or panels 33 on one side to cause the plane to move sidewise. This is very valuable when manuvring the plane in descent which it is desired to make a landing at a particular oint.

Manifestly, the two side panel actuating units may be connected so that they may be operated simultaneously.

It is to be observed that the main propeller 9 can be utilized in elevating the ship in a substantially vertical path by simply closing the front panels or shutters 10, 10a, 10b of the casing 8 and opening the rear shutters 16, as indicated in Figure 2. Thus, the air will be deflected downwardly by the propeller facilitating the lifting of the ship with the aid of the lifting propellers 20, 20EL of Figure 2.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with an aeroplane; of an open ended casing secured to the nose of the plane, horizontally pivoted panels mounted in said casing, said panels compris ing duplicate sets one at the openV front of said casing and one at the open rear thereof, means whereby eachl set of said panels may be simultaneously actuated, said means being operatively connected to each of said sets of panels, and control means for said panel operating means, said control means being located in the cock-pit of the plane.

2. The combination with an aeroplane having a fuselage and a power plant; of vertically journalled elevating propellers extending abovesaid fuselage, the fuselage beneath said propellers being chambered and provided with air outlet-s, and vacuum creating means for forcing the air from said chambers through said outlets.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, and a driving connection between the vertically journalled propellers and the power plant.

4. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, said fuselage having planes and a chamber intermediate the ends of said fuselage, said chamber being open at the top and sides, an elevating propeller vertically journalled above said chamber, driving means for said elevating propeller, horizontally journalled propellers opposite said side openings of said chamber for exhausting the air therefrom, and a driving connection between said elevating and last mentioned propellers and the power plant of the plane.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4, and independent closures for the side openings of said chambers, and operating means for said closures.

6. An aeroplane comprising a fuselage having a chamber open at the top and sides, a vertically journalled elevating propeller located above said chamber and discharging air thereinto, and means for controlling the exhaust of air from the sides of said chamber.

7. An aeroplane comprising al fuselage having a chamber therein open at the top and sides, an elevating propeller vertically journalled and located above said chamber for discharging air thereinto, closure means for the respective sides of said chamber, and independent operating means for said respective closure means.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CORLISS L. VELTNER. 

